WHEN the much lauded North Garden suburb was first announced by Maldon District Council, to allay any concerns from long-suffering residents at risk from flooding, a flood elevation scheme was proposed, and to be funded by the developer.

There was even talk of a new doctors surgery and school to sweeten the pill.

The way things are going, after reading last week’s paper I wouldn’t bet on seeing any of them, as promises are soon forgotten and seldom kept.

The issue here is the flood elevation scheme, as no authority seems to want to be responsible or more importantly can decide who is going to fund it.

Anyone with even basic civil engineering knowledge could tell you, there just isn’t an easy fix for a viable cost effective drainage system for that area, as the surrounding land all falls towards Heybridge, then factor in the canal that was somewhat inconveniently built between the high risk area and the river, a workable system to be designed and built was always going to be expensive.

So let’s see where we are at the moment now that the first phase of the new development has already started.

The developer has changed its mind, the Environmental Agency doesn’t seem to want get involved, Maldon District Council was handed £7.3 million but can’t or won’t tell anyone what they are going to do with the money. All in all it’s a bleak outlook for the residents who will be most at risk from flooding. Knowing their council is continuing to work with its partners, whoever they are, must be very reassuring for them.

Robbie Green, Fambridge Road, Maldon